Special Olympics, competitions and celebrations at the National Games in Piedmont

593 athletes competing together with their families, over three hundred volunteers and five days of ceremonies and competitions: the XXXV Special Olympics National Winter Games ended yesterday which saw athletes with and without intellectual disabilities compete in alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, snowboarding, floorball, snowshoe running and sports dancing in the mountain scenery between Sestriere, Pragelato, Entracque and Borgo San Dalmazzo, a test event for the Special Olympics Winter World Games which will take place next year. There was also the extraordinary participation of 4 foreign delegations (Austria, Germany, Latvia and Hungary) involved in Floorball.

The event ended with an emotional Closing Party first in Entracque yesterday afternoon at the tensile structure in Piazza del Mercato and then in Sestriere, yesterday evening in Piazza Kandahar. The evening, animated by the descent of the ski instructors with the torch and the lights of the Italian flag, saw the folding and return of the Special Olympics Italia flag to Alessandro Palazzotti, Vice President of the Movement. “The National Winter Games represent a precious opportunity for knowledge, discussion and personal growth for everyone; they trace a human path that goes beyond sport and competitions: bringing people together” said Alessandra Palazzotti, National Director of Special Olympics Italy.